Folding baby carriage



I. A` NAHR.

FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE.

APPLlcATloN FILED JUNE 6,1921.

Patente Oct. E172 1922.

s SHEETS-swim 1.

l. A. IVIAHR FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION HLED luNE 6,1921.

Pawnoed 0G40. 17, 1922,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ELASQ Mh A. MAHR.

FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE.

APPLICATION FILED IuIIs 6,1921.

317, 1922., 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented @et Patented @et il?, 13322. l

JULI'US A.. MARR, 0F MENNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

FOLDENG BABY CARRIAGE.

Application led. June G, 1921.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, JULiUs A. MAHR, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin andV State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in illolding Baby Carriages; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention rela-tes to baby carriages of the type disclosed and broadly claimed in my two VUnited Sta-tes Letters Patent, #1,335,122, entitled Folding baby carriage, issued March 30, I1920, and ji-1,363,367, entitled Baby carrying basket", issued December 23, 1920, and has for its object to improve the saine in the several particulars hereinafter noted.

To the above end, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and deiined in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a view of the improved folding baby carriage principally in side elevation with some parts broken away and sectioned;

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the runningl p, with some parts sectioned on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and with other parts shown in different positions, by means of broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of llig. 1.;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the improved baby carriage;

Fig is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale of the right-hand wheel and associated parts, as sho'vn in Fig, 3.; y

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. lwith the exception that the parts are folded indicatedby broken lines in 2;

Fifi' f is a fragmentary detail view with some parts sectioned on the line 7 7 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view with some parte .sectioned on the line 3 8 of iFig. 7

Serial No. 475,218.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the improved baby carriage folded;

Fig. 10 is a perspectiveY view of the body of the baby carriage sectioned on the line 10 10of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of the hood extension.

The improved running gear for the improved baby carriage includes a reach 12, a 'pair of couplings 13, a pair of posts 1.4i, two `radius rods 15 for each coupling 13, a pair of stub axles 1G for each pair of radius rods 15, on which stub axles are journaled, wheels 17, and spreading toggles 18 for the pairs of radius rods 15. Both the reach 12 and posts 14 are preferably tubular in form.

The couplings 13 are pivoted, on'e to each end of the reach 12 for outward and downward swinging movement, and the inward swinging movement thereof is limited by forming in the under siae's of said couplings, inward of their pivotal connections with the reach, segmental seats 19, adapted to receive and rest upon the reach 12 and hold said couplings aligned therewith. The posts 14, at their lower ends, are pivoted to the couplings 13 for outward and down.. ward swinging mlovement.

lt will be noted that the pivotal connections between the reachv 12 and-couplings 13 and bet-ween said couplings and the posts 111 are such that the posts 1a may be folded past one another under the reach 12 and in substantially parallel arrangement therewith, as indicated in liig. 3. Segmental seats 2O in the outer ends of the couplings 13, above the pivotal connections for the posts 14, limit the swinging movement of said posts to operative positions, or in other words, toward each other and hold the same in outwardly inclined positions against transverse angular movement in respect to the reach 12.

To lock the couplings 13.to the reach 12, against pivotal movement, and also lock the posts 14 to the couplings 13 against pivotal movement, I provide for each coupling 13, a latch lever 21. These latch levers are inter` mediately pivoted to screw studs 22, anchored in the couplings 13, with freedom for slight lifting movement on said Studs. Coiled springs 23 encircle the screw studs 22 and are compressed between'the latch levers 21 and the heads of the screw studs 22 and,

engage the upper faces of the couplings '13 and the under side of the reach 12 and there-v by lock the reach to the couplings'13 against pivotal movement. On the outer ends of the latch levers 21, are hooks which extend in the planeI of said latchlevers andk are arranged to engage the posts14 and lock the same to the couplings 13 against pivotal movement. By'reference to Fig. 2, it lwill be noted that the hooks engage the posts 14 ,beyond their' centers, so that when said hooks 25 are moved into interlocking engagement with the posts `14said posts must be sprung slightly inward tok permit the hooks 25 to clear the same, and when the posts are rey leased, the same frictionally hold the hooks 25 so that some little pressure is required to force the same out of engagement with the posts 14 to release the same, Each'hook 25 is provided with a linger piece 26 by which lthe latch lever may be operated. To further,assistl in holding the latch levers 21'in operative positions, there are formed on the under sidev thereof, longitudinally.extended,

teeth 27 arranged to enter notches 28 in the couplings 13, and when the latch leverst21r are moved into in-operative positions', these teeth 27 must ride out of the notches 28..

against the tension of the springs 23.

rlhe radius rods 15 are pivoted in pairs to pairs of downwardly and inwardly diverging arms 29 integral with the couplings r13, and on the outer ends of said arms are hooklike fingers 30, which act as stops to limit the outward swinging movement of the radius rods 15 away from the reach 12 and also holdthe same against angular movement in a vertical plane. Obviously, the couplings 13, arms 25 and lingers 30 afford branched coupling sleevesf rIhe pivotal connections between the radius rods 15 and arms 29 are such that when the posts 14 are folded under the reach 12, said radius rods may be folded into substantially parallel arrangement with the reach 12, asv indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2. j l r lt will be noted that the stub axles 16 are pivoted to the inner faces of the radius rods 15 and, integral with the pivoted ends of said axle 16, are upwardly extended. arms V 31,

which extend substantially parallel with thek radius rods 15, butrk are spaced apart therefrom. Formed in the arms 31 arevertically elongated slots33 having, near their upper ends on the edges adjacent to the wheels 17,

l, stop shoulders 33, and the lowerl ends of said slots are transversely elongated, for a purpose that will Vpresentlyy appear.

The spreading toggles 18, which are pro- I vided for holding the radius rods 15 spread and the stub axles 16 against pivotal movement and for folding said radius rods and stub axles, are pivoted at 34 to the radius rods 15 in the vicinity of the stub axles 16 and extend between said radius rods and stub axles.` On the outer ends of the spreading ,toggles 18 are laterally projecting cam pins 35, which extend into the slots 32 for pivotal and sliding movements. When the spreading toggles 18 are spread, their pivotally connected ends are slightly beyond dead cen'- ters yto hold the same where set, as best shown in Fig. 3. f

The spreading movement of the toggles 18 is limited by the engagement of their caml pins 35 with the upper end of the slots 32, asbest shown in Figs. 3 and 5. ln this position of the cam pins 35, the same are engaged by the stop shoulders 33, which overcomes any tendency,` by an upward angular movement of the stub axles 16, to force the spreading toggles 18 out of their positions when ypast dead centers and thereby permit the spreading toggles 18 and radius rods 15 to fold; Obviously, the position of the stop shoulders 33 in respect to the cam pins 35 is such that the weight yof the load on the running lgear has a tendency to swing the stub axles 16 upward on their pivots, p thereby forcing the stop shoulders 33 into engagement with the cam pins 35, which securely locks the spreading toggles 18 and the arms 31 together.

The folding movement of the radius rods 15 by the buckling of the toggle levers 18 also folds the wheels 17, although they retain substantially their same relation to the radius rods 15, in which they extend angularly in respect to the reach 12. The expanded lower ends of the slots 32 permit the stub axles 16 to be independently moved in 'respect to the spreading toggles 18 so that they may be folded substantiallyparallel to the reach I12 with one pair of wheels 17 extending within the other, as best shown in Fig. 9.v

The upper ends of the posts 14 are forked to afl'ord pairs of prongs 36, to each pairof which is secured a transverse handle v37 having in its under face seats 38 adapted to 'receive the ends of the respective prongs held therein by screws 39. By means of the handles 3,7, thebaby'carriage may be either n pushed, pulled or carried. Formed on the posts 14, between their prongs 36,' `are hooks 40 for suspending the body of the baby carriage. y f y To lock the running gear against rolling `movement when left standing, lock fingers `41 are pivoted to certain of the rivets 34 ably made from canvas, drilling or other suitable fabric. 1n a marginal hem in the bottom-of the body 42, is a spreader rim 43 in the form of an endless metal rod. Secured to the upper edge of the head end of the body 42 is an upwardly inclined extension or web 44 having a marginal hem which holds a U-shaped spreader rim section 45, the ends of which are bent laterally outward to afford screw-threaded trunnions on which are mounted thumb-screws 47. A U- shaped spreader rim section 48 is secured in a hem in the upper edge of the sides of the body 42 at the foot end thereof. The ends of the spreader rim sections and 48 are turned toward each other and terminate a considerable distance apart, and attached to the sides of the body 42, between these spreader rim sections, are buckle-equipped straps 49 for holding the baby in the body.

The body 42 is suspended from the posts 14 by buckle-equipped hanger straps 50 that are passed around the spreader rim sections 45 and 48 through gaps 51 formed in the web 44 and foot end of the body 42. Secured in the outer ends of the hanger straps 50 are rings 52 adapted to be interlocled with the hooks 40 on the posts 14 and thereby detachably connect and support the body 42 from the running gear. Reinforcing straps 53 are extended over the hems in which the spreader rim sections 45 and 48 are secured and the ends thereof connected and secured by rivets to the web 44 and foot end of the body 42 at each end of the gaps 51, and reinforcing straps 54 are extended over the ends of the spreader rim section 45 at their trunnions 46 and the ends thereof connected and secured to the sides of the body 42 by rivets.

A combined buckle-equipped anchor and tie strap 55 is intermediately secured to the reach 12 and adapted to be secured to a pair of straps 56 attached to opposite sides of the body 42 at the bottom thereof, one of which is buckle-equipped. The straps 55 and 56 may be adjusted so as to hold the bony against swinging movement or they may be loosely adjusted so that the body 42 may be swung or rocked and` at the same time, limit such movement. TWhen the improved baby carriage is folded, as shown in Fig. 9, the parts may all be securely held together by the single strap 55.

The baby carriage body 42 is provided with a hooc 57 having end and intermediate ribs 58, the ends of which are pivoted on the trunnions 46 and held with the hood in different adjustments by the thumb nuts 47. Except for the trunnions 46. the hood 57 is entirely free from the body 42 and may be adjusted in various different positions in which it may be folded onto the web 44 or in which the foremost rib 58 engages the upper edge of said body.

rllhe hood 57 is provided with a detachable hood extension 59 of the same material as the hood and the rear edge of which is provided with a web 60 which underlaps the web 44 and thereby separably connects the hood extension 59 to the body 42 and forms a tight joint therebetween. ln the seam between the hood extension 59 and its web 44 an aperture through which projects the respective hanger strap 51. The hood eX- tension 59 is adapted to adjustably overlap the hood 57 and has, in its forward edge, a hem in which is secured an elastic puclering cord 61, under strain, to draw the hood extension 59 onto the hood 57. At the lower or pointed ends of the hood extension 59, the elastic cord 61 is extended outward of the hood extension 59 and bent to form loops 62 to receive the trunnions 45 and thereby secure the hood extension 59 to the body 42 and anchor said cord.

As previously stated, the hood extension 59 overlaps the hood 57 and by adjusting the same thereon, so that the elastic cord 6l is just forward of one of the ribs 58, said elastic cord will draw the hood extension 59 tightly over the respective rib and form a tight joint between the hood and hood eXtension and securely connect the same. As shown, the hood extension 59 extends half way over the hood 57, but by adjusting the same so that elastic cord 61 extends forward of the rearmost rib 58, the hood 57, when open, may be adjusted into its foremost position or, by adjusting said elastic cord over the foremost rib 58, the hood 57 will be in its rearmost position when open.

What 1 claim is:

l. A folding running gear comprising a reach, a coupling pivotally connected to the reach, a post pivotally connected to the coupling, wheels, means connecting the wheels to the coupling, and common means for locking the reach and post to the coupling' against pivotal movement.

2. A folding running` gear comprising a reach, couplings pivotally connected to the reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected to the couplings, wheels, means' connecting the wheels to the couplings, and common means at each coupling for locking the reach and posts thereto against pivotal movement.

3. A folding running gear comprisinol a reach, couplings pivotally connected4 to the reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected to the couplings, wheels, means connecting the wheels to the couplings, said couplings having seats for limiting the pivotal movement of the reach and posts in respect. thereto, and common means at each coupling for locking the reach and posts in the seats thereof against pivotal movement.

4. A folding running gear comprising a reach, couplings pivotally connected to the reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected against pivotal movement and the other' of said hooks being adapted to engage the posts and lock the same to the couplings against pivotal movement.

6. A folding running gear comprising a reach, couplings pivotally connected to the reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected to the couplings, said couplings having seats arranged to limit the pivotal movement of the reach and posts, Wheels, means connecting the Wheels' to the couplings, and a latch lever intermediately pivoted to each of said couplings and having a hook at each end, one of the hoolrs of the latch levers being arranged to engage the couplings and reach to lock the .couplings against pivotal movement in respect to the reach and in certain of the seats thereof, the other hooks of said latch levers being arranged to engage the posts at a point beyond their centers and lock the same to the couplings against pivotal movement in certain of the seats thereof.

7. A folding running gear comprising a reach, couplings pivotally connected to the reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected to the couplings, Wheels, means connecting the Wheels to the couplings, and a latch lever intermediately pivoted to each coupling and having a hook at each end, one of the hooks of the latch levers being arranged to engage lthe reach and loclr the couplings thereto against pivotal movement and the other of `said hooks being adapted to engage the posts and lock the saine to the couplings against pivotal movement, said latch levers having yielding interlocking engagement With the couplings When in operative positions.

8. A folding running gear comprising a reach, couplings pivotally connected to the reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected to the couplings, Wheels, means connecting the Wheels to the couplings, and a latch lever intermediately pivoted to each coupling and having a hook at each end, one of the hooks of the latch levers being arranged to engage the reach and loclr the couplings thereto against pivotal movement and the other of said hooks being adapted to engage the posts and lock the same tothe couplings against pivotal movement, said latch levers having yielding tooth and notch interlocking engagement With the couplings When in operative positions.

9. A folding ruiming gear comprising al reach cou linffs oivotall connected to the 7 I o y reach, a pair of posts pivotally connected to the couplings, Wheels, means connecting the Wheels to the couplings, a latch lever intermediately pivoted to each of the couplings with freedom for slight lifting movement and having a' hook at each end, one of the hooks of the latch levers being arranged to engage the couplings and reach to lock said couplings thereto against pivotal movement and the other of said hooks being .arranged to engage the posts and lock the same to the couplings against pivotal movement, said latch levers having tooth and notch interlocking engagement with the couplings When inoperative positions, and springs under strain to hold the latch levers against lifting movement.

l0. A folding running gear including a pair o-f couplings, a pair of radius rods foldably attached to each coupling, stub axles pivoted to the radius rods and having laterally projecting arms provided With slots having stop shoulders, Wheels jour naledon said axles, and spreading toggles connecting the pairs of radius rods and having cam pins extending into the slots in said arms for pivotal and sliding movement and arranged to engage the stop shoul ders when the toggles are spread to lock the stub axles to the radius rods against pivotal movement.

ll. A folding running gear including a pair of couplings, a pair of radius rods n foldably attached to each coupling, stub axles pivoted to` the radius rods and having laterally projecting arms provided With slots having stop shoulders, Wheels jour-A naled on said axles, and spreading toggles connecting the pairs of radius rods and having cani pins extending into the slots in said arms for pivotal and sliding movement and arranged to engage the stop shoulders When the toggles are spread to lock the stub axles to the radius rods against pivotal movement, the-Weight of the load on the stub axles tending to pivotally move the same and force the stop shoulders of the slots in the arms into engagement With the cam pins.

l2. A folding running gear including a air of couplings, a pair of radius rods foldably attached to each coupling, stub axles pivoted to the radius rods and having laterally projecting arms provided With slots having stop shoulders, Wheels journaled on said axles, and Vspreading toggles connecting the pairs of radius rods and havin-g cam pins extending into the slots in said arms for pivotal and sliding movement and arranged to engage the stop shoulders When the toggles are spread to lock the stub axles to the radius rods against pivotal movement, said slots in the arms ot the stub axles being arranged to limit the spreading movement of the toggles beyond dead centers and the Weight of the load on the stub axles tending to pivotally move the same and force the stop shoulders of said slots into engagement with the cam pms.

13. A folding running gear lneluding a coupling, a pair oi"- radius rods foldably attached to the coupling, stub axles pivoted to the radius rods, 'Wheels journaled on the stub axles, and connections for holding the radius rods spread and the stub axles against pivotal movement and arranged to permit 'further folding movement of the stub axles independently of said connections.

la. A folding running gear including a coupling, a pair of radius rods toldably attached to the coupling, stub axles pivoted to the radius rods, Wheels journaled on the stub axles, and Connections Jfor holding the radius rods spread and the stub axles against pivotal movement and for folding said radins rods and stub axles and arranged to permit further folding movement of the stub axles independently of said Connections.

l5. A folding running gear including a Coupling, a. pair of radius rods oldably attached to the coupling', stub axles pivoted to the radius rods and having projecting arms provided with slots, Wheels journaled on the stub axles, a spreading toggle connecting the radius rods and having cam pins extending into the slots for pivotal sliding movement, said slotsI being arranged to permit further folding movement of the stub axles independently of the spreading toggle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JULIUS A. MAHR. 

